Display stand



R. J. HAUG DISPLAY STAND Feb. 28, 1933.

Original Filed Oct. 13, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l R. J. HAUG DISPLAY STANDFeb. 28, 1933.

Original Filed OGL.' 13, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 27a/enzow, WWQAM': H ,A

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'30 shelves.

Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITEDqsTArEs varcnisua'n zr. HAUG, oF Nnsnun,NEW HAMrsnIRn PATENT OFFICE Application 1aed` oerober 13, 19130, serialNp.38,245.71tenwea 11u15' 2o, 1932. :f

vThis invention relates to Vdisplay stands that are especially adaptedfor use in retail stores in supporting'tiers of boxes` 1n which goodsare displayed. 'Y One of the objects of the present inventlon istheprovisionof a displaypstandthat 1s light in weight, portable, that canbel dis assembled, and is capable of being arranged in variousconligurations and is composed of relatively A:few parts that can servea variety of purposes, and which is cheap and durable. Another object ofthe invention is generally l to improve the construction ofdispla'y'stands. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a stand em# bodying thepresent invention.`

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the stand of Fig. 1. A

Fig. 3 is a sectional'elevation takenLalong line'3-3 of Fig. 2. i'

Fig. 4 is a sectional'` elevation taken along line 4 4 of F ig. 3. Y

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of' an lend of one of the rungs y Fig. 6 isa detail illustrating the manner in which the rung is flocked detachablyin a cooperating manner. Fig.' 7 isa perspective view of 'one of the topbrackets. ,Y 'A

Fig. 8 is a perspective view `of one of the Fig. 9 isa ing post. y

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of apost'extension. l

Fig. 11 isa perspective 'view of onevofthe rungs. Y f f Fig. 12 is 'ap`erspect-ivefviewl o'f'one of the shelf supporting rails'.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation disposition ofthe stand.'

Fig. 14 is a' side elevationof afurther modiiied arrangement of thestand. 1' Fig. 15 is aside elevation illustrating th mannerofvconnecting duplicate stands together in spaced relation. 'i Y Thedisplay stand embodying the present invention, and, as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 13, is composed of a pair of top members 2Q,- Fig. 7, andanumber ofduplicate shelfmemperspective view-lof ai supportof aj modified5G bers 22, Fig. 8, togetherwith duplicatev rails 24, Fig. 12, rungs 26,Fig. 11, 'and supporting posts 28, Fig. 9, and the extensions 30thereof, see Fig: 10.

The top member 2O is composed'of sheet metal and is of narrow channelshape.- Said member has the flat t'op'walll ,32 .and the re-:flexedfdepen'ding and relatively deep side walls or flanges 34. Notches`3G` ar'efformed in the bottom edgesl of saidsidev walls and have'tapered sidefedges 38. @Pairsofkeyhole slots 4O1are formed in saidsidewalls at the opposite ends of said top member, each slot comprisingthe circular aperture 42 and v the elongated notch 44 whichopens 'intosaid circular aperture, thenotches being extend# ed horizontallyinwardly toward thev vertical Vmedian line of'thefmember. There areVother pairs fofL vertically/*extended keyhole slots 46 at the 'bottomouter edges ofthe side walls. There is another pairof verticallyextended keyhole slotsV 48 located kin the median Vvertical. lineof themember above the notch-es 36. The keyhole slots are adapt# ed' toreceivecertain rungs 26, the rungs each having 'two sets of diametricallyopposed andaxially' spaced 'notches v50 in Athe ends thereofrfThe setsof notches "arel spacedv apart bythe distancebetween the side walls 34andthe thickness ofmaterial between opposed notches being less than theWidth of the elongatedportion 44 ofthe keyhole slot. The circularportion 42 of the `keyhole slot is large enough to yreceive the fulldiameter of therung. Thus when the end of the rung f isentered/in thecircular portion of the slot, andlthence'is moved downwardlyinto theelongated portion wherein the side walls 34 are located in the slots'Q,the rung and the top member are lockedvtogether against axialdisplacement. l l y 1- f l The top member .is also ,provided withintegral depending lips 52which lie.v within the channel lof the topmember, in the middle thereof, andare spaced'from'the side walls s4. 1

j The shelf member22 comprises a channel Vmember. having the fiatt'op'walll 54 and the reexed depending parallel sidewalls' of 4flanges.; The'spacng'f the Side Wausis l100 the same as the spacing ofthe flanges 34 of the top member. The top wall 54 at one end is providedwith a square passage 58 therethrough. The end edges 60 of said flangesextend downwardly under the top wall 54 at a slight inclination from theperpendicular with respect thereto and the opposite end edges 62 of saidflanges are parallel with the edges 60. Keyhole slots 64 are formed inthe flanges under the top 54 and adjacent the inclined edgesl 60 of theflanges and extend in parallel relation with said top. Notches 66 areformed in the bottom edges of the flanges i adjacent the side edges 60vand are perpendicular to th'etopY wall 54. Keyhole slots 68 which areparallel with the edges v60 are formed in the flanges near the bottomedges thereof and in the middle thereof;

t In assembling the stand to form the construction illustrated in Fig.1, two top members 20 are employed to form the ends of the stand. Eachtop member is supported upon a post 28 and its cooperatingextension 30.Both posts28 and 30 are *ofl square tubular metal formation. The upperend of Vpost ex# tension 30 is located between the flanges 34 of the topmember and bears against. the lower face ofthe top wall 32thereof andthe lips 52 of said top wall are located within the open end of the postas is shown in Fig. 4; The space between the sidewalls 34 ofthe topmember are about equal tothe width of the post so that the topmembercannot rotate on the post. The post extension 30 has a passage 70therethrough which is in register with' the keyhole-slots 48. A 'rung 26passes loosely through the'passa'ges 70 of the end pair of these postsand also through said keyhole slots in the top members, thereby lockingthe posts to the top members and also locking the top members in spacedrelation. Thepost extension 30 has a reduced end section'72 which fitsin the open-.upper end of the post 28 and each of the two posts isprovided with such an extension member. The upper end of each post yhasa rung passage 74which is not necessarily used inlthe construction shownin Fig.` 1, but receives the rung that passes through the'passage. 70when the `extension` is eliminated in constituting the stand of Fig.13.- A pairof shelf members 22 are disposed onopposite sides of the postextensions and have their flanges overlapping andl a rung is passedthrough the aligned keyhole slotsV 68of both shelf members, therebylocking the shelf members; togetherj Thelower end` of the post 28 has anaxially-elongated notch 75 therein in which said rung is located andVthe top edges of the top walls 54 bear in opposite directions againstthepost so that the posts and shelf members are connected together in astable manner. '.Ivhe shelf members are thus arranged to constitutesupport-v ing feet for the stand. The stand rests upon the edges 60 ofthe flanges of the shelves.

Four spaced, parallel, shelf-supporting rails 24 are connected with theends of the top members in the inclined manner illustrat-ed in Fig. 1.Each rail consists of a. metal tube of sq'uare cross section and has arung receiving passage 76 at one end and other rung receiving passages78 that are located lwithinthe channel space between the flanges 34 ofatop member at the outer end thereof and with the rung passage 76 inline with a pair of keyhole slots`46. A rung26 is passed through thesimilar keyhole slots in the two top members'and'loosely through thepassages 7 6 in a pair ofrails on the same side of the stand whereby tolock the rails tothe top members. v A pluralityof shelves 22 arearranged on each rail with the rail passing through the squareopening 58in the top wall in each shelf. Other rungs 26 are extended through theopenings 78 in each pair of rails at V.the Asame side of the stand andeach shelf is seated vupon the end of a separate rung. The rungs lie inthe notches 66 of the shelves and the opposed ends of the flanges atsaid notches are located in the slots 50ct' the r'ungs whereby to holdthe shelves in the horizontal positions ill'ustrated in Fig. 1. PairsofV shelves are located at the same horizontal level and are adapted tosupport suitable open-top goods-containers as the boxes A. The standillustrated in this figure is relatively high and the rails have a smallinclination. The stand can be made shorter in height and the rails 24disposed at greater inclination, if desired. Such a disposition isillustrated in Fig. 13. In this construction, the top menibers 2Q aresupported only upon theposts 23 in an obvious manner,'the postextensions 30 being eliminated. Withthis construction the tops `oftheshelf members that constitute the supporting feet of the stand arereceived within the notches 36 in the flanges 34 of the top members. Theshelves 22 are arranged onthe railswith the rails lying between and inapproximate engagement with the flanges 56 and the rungs 22 being keyedto the flanges in the slots 66, with the exception ofthe lowermost slots68 so that the bottom edges 67 of the flanges 56 rest upon the floor,and being parallelwith the top wall 54, support the lowermost shelf inhorizontal position. The display boxesA rest 'upon and between theshelves in the manner illustrated in the dotted lines.. The lowermostbox rests entirely upon the lowermost vpair of shelves while theforwa-rd'edges of the upper boxes can rest upon the rear 'edges of thelower boxes. The ends 62 of t-he flanges V56 of a lower shelf abut'against the edges 60 of the flanges of an upper shelfso that `theshelves a pair of inclined parallel rails, shelf `mem-- bers carried bysaid raiis each comprising a 'j 35 of the flanges 34 of the top membersare inclined downwardly and inwardly toward the vertical median line ofthe top members in such manner that the ends 62 of the uppermost shelfengages them for the purpose of holding the uppermost shelf againstsimilar displacement.

If desiredtwo display stands can be connected together in spacedrelation to form a long table in the manner illustrated in Fig. 15. Arail member 24 is extended between a pair of'top members on the sameside of the stand and has ends located within the flanges of the topmembers which are connected with the rungs that pass therethrough,thereby to maintain the two stands in spaced relation.

A further modified arrangement of stand is illustrated in Fig. 14. Inthis construction the top members 2O are eliminated. In thisconstruction the rung that passes through the tops of and connects theposts 28 also passes through the keyhole slots 64 in a pair of shelfmembers. The shelf members are supported in inclined position by a postextension 30 which is disposed on a rung that is located in the keyholeslot 68 of the shelf members and that serves to connect the pair ofshelf members. The reduced portion 72 ofthe post extension is locatedwithin the opening 58 Vof one of the shelf members that constitutes afoot for the stand and has a slot in its end in which a portion of thetop wall 54 is received whereby to anchor the post to the foot andthereby to support the top shelf in the position illustrated. A bottomshelf can be carried by the post extension, kthe post extension beingeX- tended through the passage 58 in the top wall of the vshelf and theouter end of the shelf resting upon the floor.

It will be apparent that still other modifications can beconstructed,all without departingr from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a display stand, the combination of top plate and depending sideplates between which a rail is located, and means connecting said railsin spaced relation.

2. In a display stand, the combination of a pair of inclined parallelrails, shelf members carried by said rails each comprising a top plateand depending side plates between which a rail is located, and meansconnecting said rails in spaced relation, said conconnectedto saidconnecting means, rungs e extended between and lconnecting said rails,and shelf members each' carried by a rail and' connected thereto by aVrung.

4. In a display stand, the combination of a pair of spaced parallelinclined rails, a separate shelf member on each raill comprising atopwall and depending side walls which closely overlie opposite sides ofanassociatedrail, and a rung which-ispassed through said rails and theside walls `of bot-h shelves, said side walls and rung havingcooperating lmeans which connects 'them-t0- gether against unintentionaldetachment.Y

5. In a display stand, the combination-of a pair. of spacedparallelinclined rails, a

separat-e shelf member on each rail comprising top vwall and dependingside walls which closely overlie opposite sides of an associated rail,and a rung which-is passed' through said rails and the side walls ofboth shelves, said sidewalls and rung having cooperating `means whichconnects them together against unintentional detachment, said connectingmeans comprising keyhole slots in said side walls in which said rung islocated, and opposed slots in said rung in whichsaid side walls at saidVkeyhole vslots are located.`

6. In a display stand'7 the combination of a pair of spaced inclinedparallel side rails,

'shelf members carried separately by each of said rails, and a rungpassed through said rails and havingv connectionsl with said shelveswhich secure said shelves, rung and side rails against unintentionaldisconnection. v

7. In a display stand, atop member including a top wall andspaced sidewalls, an upright supporting post locatedvbetween `said side walls, acylindrical connecting member passed through said side walls and throughsaid post, supporting feet on the bottom of said post,an inclined railhavingitsupper end connected with the side-walls of said top member, andshelves carried bysaid rail.`

8. In a display stand, a top member in'- ,cluding a'top wall ands'pacedside walls, an

upright supporting post located between said side walls, a cylindricalconnecting member passed through said side walls and through said post,supporting feet .on the bottom ofsaid post, an inclined rail having'itsupper end connected with the side wallsof said top member, andshelvescarried by said rail, said shelves having `top walls: and dependingspaced side walls between which saidrail is loc-ated, and cylindricalconnecting means passed through said side walls and saidrail.

9. In a display'stand, the combination'fof a top member having atop walland spaced depending side walls, said top member having a pair ofopposed depending ears `which-lie between said'side walls, an uprighthollow post of square cross section having lits upper end Yio `fitolocated between said side walls and in engagement therewith with Vvsaidears located within theopentop of said post, cylindrical connectingmeans passed through said side walls and said post below said ears,supporting feet on the bottom of said post, and shelf members carried bysaid top member.

10. In a display stand, the combination of a topmember, an uprightsupporting post therefor,and supporting feet on the bottom of sai dvpost, said feet each comprising a member having an end wall and spacedparallel side walls which are disposed on opposite sides' and inoverlapping relation with each other-.and saidpost, and means which ispassed through said side walls and post and Connects the aforesaid partstogether.

' 11. In a display stand, `the combination of a top member, an uprightsupporting post therefor, and supporting feet onv the bottom of saidpost,said feet each Vcomprising a memberhaving an end wall and spacedparallel side walls which are disposed on oppositesides and inoverlapping relation with each other and said 'post,'and means which ispassed through said sidewalls and post and connects the aforesaid partstogether, said means comprising a cylindrical connecting member, and thelower end of said supporting post having a notch therein in which saidconnecting member is loosely received.

12. In a display stand, the combination of atop member having a top walland spaced depending side walls provided with aligned notches in thebottom edges thereof, an up` right supporting post which is disposedbetween saidside walls and said notches and has a connection with saidtop membenaifidv a pair of supporting feet rat the vbottom of said posteach comprising a member having an inclined end wall and spaced sidewalls, said members being oppositely disposed with their side wallslying on opposite sides of said post and the upper endsof theirAinclined end walls received in said notches.

13. In a display stand, a top member com prising a top wall and spaceddepending side walls, said top wall having means located'in the middlethereof for connection with la support and said side walls having aplurality of aligned connecting-member receiving openings therethrough.

14. In a display stand, a top member comprising a top wall and spaceddepending side walls, said top` wall having means located in the middlethereof for connection with a support and Asaid side walls having aplurality of aligned connecting-member receiving openings therethrough,said openings being in the form of keyhole slots.

In ,a display stand, a'shelf member comprising a top ,wall andspacedvparallel depending Side walls, said side walls having a pluralityof aligned connecting-member receiving apertures therein 'and alsohavinga rail-receiving opening in said top wall at one end thereof. f

16. YIn a display stand, the combination of a supporting post, a topmember on the upper end thereof, an inclined rail having its upper endconnected with said top member, and a shelf on said rail, said shelfhaving a top wall and spaced depending side walls between which saidrail isY located, and a rung passed through said rail, said shelf havinga pair of 'aligned apertures in its side wall in which said rung isadapted to be located.

17. In a display stand, the combination of a supporting post, a topmember on the upper end thereof, an inclined rail having its upper endconnected with said top member, and a shelf on said rail, said shelfhaving a top wall and spaced depending side walls between which saidrail is located, and a rung passed-through said rail, said shelf havingan aperture in its top wall near one end thereof through which saidyrail is extended and havingaligned slots in the bottom edges of its sidewalls in which said rung is located.

18. In a displayA stand, the combination of a supporting post, a topmember on the upper Y end thereof, an inclined rail having its upper endconnected with said top member, and a shelf onsaid rail, said shelfhaving a top wall and spaced depending side walls between which saidrail is located, and a rung passed through said rail, said shelf havingan aperture lin its top wall near one end thereof through whichsaid railis yextended and hav' ing aligned slots in the 'bottom edges of its sidewalls in which said rung is located, said shelfV also having'a pair ofaligned rung-receiving apertures in its side walls intermediate the endsof the shelf.

19.Y In a display stand, the combination of a. pair of top members eachhaving a top wall andspaced depending side walls, a rung eX- tendedthrough the side walls of said top members and securing them in spacedrelation, upright supporting posts located betweenthe side walls of saidtop members and on ,said rungs, supporting feet at .the end of Vsaidposts, inclined parallel rails having their upperends located betweenthe side walls of said top members at the end thereof, rungs passedthrough said side walls Vand said rails and connecting them together,other rungs Y passed through and connecting said rails between the endsthereofand shelves each independently carried by a rail and each havinga top .wall and depending. side walls which are disposedon oppositesides of the rail and have aligned openings at-their lower ends in whicha rung is located.

20. In a display stand, the combination of afpair of top memberseachhaving a top wall and spaced depending side walls, a rung extendedthrough the side walls of said top members and securing them in spacedrelation, upright supporting posts located between the side walls ofsaid top members and on said rungs, supporting feet at the end of saidposts, inclined parallel rails having their upper ends located betweenthe side walls of said top members at the ends thereof, rungs passedthrough said side walls and said rails and connecting them together,other rungs passed through and connecting said rails between the endsthereof, and shelves each independently carried by a rail and eachhaving a top wall and depending side walls which are disposed onopposite sides of the rail and have aligned openings at their lower endsin which a rung is located, the top wall of each shelf also having apassage therethrough near one end of the shelf through which a rail isextend-ed.

21. In a display stand, a shelf comprising a sheet metal member having atop wall and spaced parallel depending side walls having a portion oftheir bottom edges parallel with said top wall and anotherportioninclined upwardly toward said top wall, the end edges of said side wallsbeing parallel and being in-l clined at other than a right angle withrespect to said top wall, and said side walls having sets of alignedconnecting-member receiving passages therethrough.

22. In a display stand, the combination of a pair of top members eachhaving a top wall and spaced depending side walls, an upright postlocated between the side walls of each top member, means extendedbetween said top members connecting them and said posts together,supporting feet on said posts, rails connected with said top members,shelves on said rails, each shelf having a top wall and spaced dependingside walls, and mean-s connecting each shelf separately to itsassociated rail, said shelves and said foot members being identical.

23. In a display stand, the combination of a pair of top members eachhaving a top wall and spaced parallel depending side walls, a pluralityof shelf members each having a top wall and spaced parallel dependingside walls, a pair of' upright supporting posts located each between theside wall of a separate top member, a connecting member extended throughaligned apertures in the side walls and posts of all top members, a pairof foot members located on opposite sidesof each supporting post andhaving their side walls overlapping said posts, a rung which is passedthrough said overlapping side walls and said posts and which connectsthem together, a pair of rails having their upper ends disposed betweenthe similar ends of the side walls of said top members, rungs passedthrough aligned apertures in said side walls and rails and connectingsaid rails and top members together, said shelf members being located onsaid rails between said side walls,

and rungs passed through said rails intermediate their ends and throughaligned passages in the side walls of said shelf members, each shelfmember on the same rail being engaged with a separate rung, said shelfand foot members being identical and interchangeable.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

RICHARD J. HAUG.

